28 Small Talk Questions That Will Make Conversation Easier

14.08.2018

Are you often looking for the right words to break the ice between you and someone you hardly know? Many people cannot simply start small stalk from nothing waiting for the mercy of their interlocutors and giving them the right to choose a topic and the direction of a talk. Others have already stopped trying to get involved in the short exchange of useless words preserving their efforts toward bigger conversations. However, a sharp mind can use small talk to ignite a series of conversations and long-lasting cooperation for their business or career.

So, are there particular guidelines on how to make small talk smooth, casual and easy?

In this article, we’ll present 28 small talk questions that help strike up a 5-minute conversation with almost every person. I’ve divided them into the following categories:

Travel

Here are some good small talk questions to appeal to people obsessed with travelling. Remember that these questions are not conversation starters. Therefore, greet a person first, then talk about any neutral thing (e.g., the weather, the greenhouse effect, the disgusting coffee in your office, etc.). Only when you feel that a person is still willing to talk, then you can introduce any of the following questions:

By any chance, do you know of any good tour agencies near our office?

I’ve heard you went to Europe a couple of times. Is it worth going in winter?

Is it true that Thai food tastes differently in Bangkok and other countries at the same chain restaurants?

Weren’t you scared to climb that mountain? What was the most challenging thing about the whole trip?

I’ve seen your recent FB post about swimming across the Gibraltar Strait. What was it like?

Have you seen that beautiful waterfall in your trip to Dumbría? And how about the rest of Galicia? What are your best and worst impressions?

How do you deal with jet lag during and after your business trips?

Leisure and Entertainment

The best small talk questions are those that can fit your conversation and keep it going. However, it’s quite natural that some of the examples mentioned in this article may not fit your specific purpose. Hence, you should improvise depending on the situation or prepare “mock” small talk with someone you know. For timid persons, it will allow testing their communication skills in a less stressful atmosphere. Have a look at this small talk questions list to sound more friendly rather than intrusive asking a person about his free time activities.

By the way, do you know any good game apps for the daily trip to work?

Have you heard anything good about that expo in the Gallery? My girlfriend wants to visit it, and I’m more into that new movie with Tom Cruise.

I’ve heard you were at the Kaleo concert, what was it like?

What are some good fitness clubs or gyms not far from here?

Does anyone on our team like boxing? I’m just looking for a sparring partner.

Do you know of any good restaurants serving Italian cuisine near our office? I have a meeting with a customer who adores pasta.

Do you fancy playing ping pong? Maybe we could have one game after work or during lunch break?

At the Office

How do you make small talk at work and not seem stupid? If you are a newcomer, who tries to adapt to a new team, try to listen more, than talk during the first month. When you discover what topics your team members frequently discuss and find them interesting to you, step in with your own viewpoints. Below, I’ve gathered some general questions, hence you can you use them from your first day at work.

I like a friendly atmosphere in this office. How long have you worked here?

What should a newbie do to make this printer work? Thanks, how long did it take you to get used to all new staff at the workplace?

Do you have any team-building activities like football or table games?

I noticed that you stay late after work, is it expected work overtime on our team?

Do you know how to get to work from the centre to avoid spending an hour in a traffic jam?

I’ve heard there’s a parking lot for bikes near our office. Do you know where it is exactly? Oh, you take a bike too… that ’s great…

Did you take any extra courses in Python? What school can you recommend?

TV shows, Cinema, Music

Sometimes, you may meet people who are too different to understand, and it may even be challenging to find common topics for a conversation. However, if you need to connect with such a person, chatting about cinema, music or TV shows is always a win-win strategy. These topics can even bring together strangers on an airplane because they already have a shared hobby. Review these best small talk questions to get to know someone through their preferences and interests:

Are you talking about the last episode in the second season of Stranger Things? What terrified me the most was…

What do you think aboutOcean’s 8 compared to the trilogy with George Clooney?

Do you like alternative music? It seems I’ve overheard a Bastille track through your headphones… and what do you think of Muse?

How were your holidays? Oh… good, my fine too, I finally found time to watch a sequel of The Avengers. Have you seen it?

What do you think about movies in Spanish? I’ve seen Amenábar’s Tesis, and I was really impressed. The movie is old but so worth seeing…

It’s two days in a row now that I cannot find any good TV series to watch. What are you at?

What TV shows are at the top of your list? Perhaps, you could recommend me something.

This list of small talk questions was created to give you a hint when you fall silent again among your colleagues or new people you’ve met. Since the flow of a conversation depends on the person’s interest, mood, and disposition to continue the talk, these questions may not fit every situation and person. Therefore, you should focus on three factors of maintaining successful small talk – asking the interlocutor’s recommendation, sharing a lifehack or a useful tip, or simply showing your interest in the common topic.

AlHi, I am Al, a qualified English teacher with more than 12 years of experience. Also, I am a creative writer and love to write about inspirational topics and have a great interest in psychology. I love teaching and cherish the moments when I see my students speaking fluently and confidently with a smile of fulfilment on their faces. My methodology is to conduct intensive, personalised courses to meet the exact requirements of my students.